Image display device

• US 7,347,561 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Pentico, Clark, Newell, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling; William C.
• Application Number:
  US11/053,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 353/20, 353/31, 353/34, 353/33, 353/37, 349/5, 349/7, 349/8, 349/9
• US Class Current: 353/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3105 for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3167 for polarizing the light beam polarizing optical systems per se G02B27/28

Abstract

A color management system for use with projection displays includes, for example, two or more analyzers positioned to receive light beams as they are emitted from the panels of a color management system. The analyzers are positioned to receive the light beams directly from the image assimilators before the light has passed through another optical element such as a light combiner. The analyzers are configured for producing filtered light outputs with improved contrast relative to the incoming light beams. By positioning the analyzers to receive the light beams directly from the image assimilators, i.e., prior to passage through other optical elements, the analyzers are able to remove substantially all of the noise before it has become indistinguishable, on the basis of polarization, from the light that comprises the desirable image. Accordingly, this embodiment produces images having dramatically improved levels of contrast relative to prior art systems.

Claims

1. An image display device, comprising:

a first panel positioned to receive a first light beam and configured to modify the first light beam to emit a first modified light beam;

a first beamsplitter configured to reflect the first modified light beam;

a second panel positioned to receive a second light beam and configured to modify the second light beam to emit a second modified light beam;

a second beamsplitter configured to reflect the second modified light beam;

a third panel positioned to receive a third light beam and configured to modify the third light beam to emit a third modified light beam;

a third beamsplitter configured to reflect the third modified light beam;

a light combiner positioned to receive the first, second, and third modified light beams and configured to emit a combined light beam; and

a fourth panel positioned to receive the combined light beam and configured to emit a combined modified light beam.

2. The image display device of claim 1, further comprising a polarizing cube beamsplitter configured to receive the combined light beam and configured to direct the combined light beam toward the fourth panel.

3. The image display device of claim 2, further comprising a filter positioned between the fourth panel and the polarizing cube beamsplitter and configured to compensate for optical retardence introduced by the fourth panel and depolarization introduced by the polarizing cube beamsplitter.

4. The image display device of claim 3, wherein the filter is a hal-fwave retarder or a quarter-wave retarder.

5. The image display device of claim 1, wherein the combined modified light beam has an improved grayscale and contrast relative to the combined light beam.

6. The image display device of claim 1, further comprising a polarization rotator positioned to receive the combined light beam from the light combiner and configured to rotate the polarization orientation of one or more of the colors of the combined light beam.

7. The image display device of claim 1, further comprising an imaging relay lens positioned to receive the combined light beam and configured to image pixel-by-pixel the first, second and third panels onto the fourth panel.

8. The image display device of claim 1, further comprising a first optical retarder positioned adjacent to the first panel and configured to substantially compensate for a first optical retardence produced by the first panel.

9. The image display device of claim 1, further comprising a second optical retarder positioned adjacent to the second panel and configured to substantially compensate for a second optical retardence produced by the second panel.

10. The image display device of claim 1, further comprising a third optical retarder positioned adjacent to the third panel and configured to substantially compensate for a third optical retardence produced by the third panel.

11. The image display device of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second, and third beamsplitters is selected from a group consisting of a dichroic beamsplitter, a dichroic mirror, a dichroic prism, a plate beamsplitter, a polarizing beamsplitter, a wire grid polarizer, and an optical retarder.